Update: This Chili’s gift card contest is now closed. Congratulations to entry #615, Michaela. An email has been sent to the winner. Thank you to everyone who entered and shared your thoughts about trying new menu items when dining out.
Chili’s Gift Card Giveaway Winner
The winning entry number was:
615
Timestamp: 2010-03-26 20:08:56 UTC
The team at Chili’s offered one Picky Palate reader the chance to win a $50 gift card to enjoy a meal at one of their restaurants. They also invited my family to visit Chili’s and try several of their newer menu items, so I could share our dining experience with readers. It turned into a fun family night out filled with appetizers, soup, entrees, dessert, and plenty of sampling around the table.
We began the meal with a cup of the Chicken Green Chili Soup. This was one of the highlights of the night for both my husband and me. It was warm, flavorful, and comforting, with the kind of taste that makes you keep going back for another spoonful. We enjoyed it so much that I later recreated a version at home. If you enjoy cozy chicken soup with green chili flavor and a little brightness, this was a memorable way to start the meal.
After the soup, we tried the Loaded Beef Nachos. They were rich, hearty, and definitely a treat. This is the kind of appetizer that is easy to share, although everyone at the table may want more than just a bite. The nachos were a fun choice before the main dishes arrived and added to the casual, relaxed feel of our Chili’s dinner.
The boys ordered from the kids menu, but that did not stop them from sampling our food too. Family dining usually works that way at our table. Everyone has their own plate, but the best bites tend to get passed around.
For the main course, we shared several dishes so we could taste a little bit of everything. We ordered the Caribbean Salad, Mini Chicken and Beef Tacos, and the Steakhouse Sandwich. Sharing was the perfect way to try different flavors without having to choose only one entree. We enjoyed all three plates, but the Steakhouse Sandwich stood out as a favorite. The horseradish dipping sauce was especially delicious and gave the sandwich a bold, tasty finish.
No family dinner review would feel complete without dessert, so we ordered the Brownie Sundae. It was quickly devoured, which is usually the best sign that dessert was a success. Between the soup, nachos, entrees, and dessert, our Chili’s dining experience was a fun and satisfying night out. Thank you to Chili’s for providing the meal and the gift card for this giveaway.
Enter to Win the $50 Chili’s Gift Card:
1. To enter the original giveaway, readers were asked to leave a comment answering this question: “Do you usually order the same type of thing when dining out, or are you adventurous and willing to try new items from the menu?” I tend to be a new-menu-item kind of girl, while my husband usually sticks with his familiar favorites. It was fun to hear whether readers prefer reliable favorites or enjoy tasting something different when they go out to eat.
2. Readers could also receive three additional entries by following Picky Palate on Twitter and sharing the giveaway message on their own Twitter page. Each extra entry required a separate comment so the entries could be counted properly.
3. Another additional entry was available for becoming a fan of Picky Palate on Facebook. Readers who completed that step were asked to leave a separate comment for the entry.
4. Readers could also earn one additional entry by joining the site’s Google Friend Connect under “Foodie Friends” in the right sidebar. As with the other options, a separate comment was required for that entry.
5. The contest ended Friday, March 26th, at 8 a.m. PST. The gift card was provided by Chili’s.
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Good luck, and thank you again to everyone who participated.